India fires the imagination and stirs the soul like no other place on earth, bristling with a mind – a stirring mix of landscapes and cultural traditions.

We started our journey up north in the state of Himachal Pradesh, where the air is cooler and crisper. Hill settlements give way to snow-topped peaks. Sandwiched between Punjab and Tibet, its lowland orchards and subtropical forests provided us with a breather from the hectic city life.

Then, 2 days of travelling brought us northwest to Rajasthan, where its extravagant palaces, forts, and finely carved temples comprise one of the country’s richest crops of architectural monuments. India really is everything you imagine, yet full of surprises. It was a dog-eat-dog culture; there was just too much competition for resources. Watching the struggle reminded me how good we all have it back home, and it made me feel incredibly lucky. That feeling of luckiness lingered for days to come.

Allowing uncertainty to fuel our adventure seems to be the logical way to explore what India had to offer. We found ourselves opening up to new challenges every single day. Night bus? Let’s do this. Sleeping in the desert? Count me in. Speak to that stranger over there? Hi!

India is beautiful, magical, and fascinating, but it’s also mean, melodramatic, and abusive. It's all these things at once – and it’s incredible.

View video travelogue here.